Give Love: An ADRA Canada Christmas Concert

Come and be part of the initiative to help ADRA Canada’s Syrian Refugee Crisis Projects!

THIS CONCERT IS FREE!

FEATURING: 

LIFE+APP, CHURCH IN THE VALLEY PRAISE BAND, DEER LAKE SCHOOL JUNIOR CHOIR, FRASER VALLEY ADVENTIST ACADEMY CHOIR, FRASER VALLEY STRUMMERS, OAC WORSHIP TEAM, PILKEY SISTERS & RYAN MCALLISTER!

THE PROCEEDS OF THIS FREE CHRISTMAS CONCERT WILL GO TOWARDS ADRA CANADA’S SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS PROJECTS. THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT WILL MATCH EVERY ELIGIBLE DOLLAR DONATED TO ADRA CANADA.

2015 is very likely to become known as the “Year of the Refugee”.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports the number of forcibly displaced populations are at their highest level since World War II, and is now almost 60 million people.

As of June, 2015 it is estimated that 300,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict.

Over nine million have had to flee their homes to avoid being killed in the shelling. Approximately four million people have had to flee Syria altogether, to live as refugees in Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt, and Lebanon.

Hardest hit are refugee children. Most of them are unable to attend school. Experts warn that the Syrian conflict is causing a “lost generation” of educated Syrians.

The war has dragged on for five years now and there is no end in sight. When the conflict finally ends and the refugees are able to return home, there will be millions of youth who will lack the education and skills necessary to support themselves or their families.

The ADRA network has been aiding these refugees with food, emergency supplies, household items, and other support.

The Government of Canada announced on September 12, 2015, the creation of the Syria Emergency Relief Fund.

The Government will match every eligible dollar donated by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities in response to the impact of the conflict in Syria, up to $100 million, effective immediately and until December 31, 2015.

The Fund will help meet the basic needs of conflict-affected people in the region, as well as in official development assistance-eligible transit countries for refugees. The Government’s contribution to this fund will provide assistance through international and Canadian humanitarian organizations and will meet humanitarian needs such as shelter, food, health and water, as well as protection and emergency education.

To be counted for the purposes of the Syria Emergency Relief Fund, donations from individual Canadians may not exceed $100,000 per individual and must be:

+ Monetary in nature

+ Made to a registered Canadian charity that is receiving donations in response to the Syria crisis

+ Specifically earmarked for response to the Syria crisis

+ Made between September 12 and December 31, 2015

+ Used by the registered charity receiving the donation in support of the humanitarian response to the impact of the Syria crisis; and

+ Declared by the registered charity receiving the donation to DFATD.

Your monetary donations today will help the Syrian refugees! Please donate generously.

The Pilkey Sisters

There’s nothing quite like the blended tight-knit harmony of sisters’ voices. 

The Pilkey Sisters have been performing for audiences since 5 years of age. They began their career singing Southern Gospel Music in a White Rock Church that served community meals on Sunday evenings to the less fortunate. 

Today they are known throughout the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland, singing at church events, fundraisers, as well as many corporate events. Their desire is to uplift and inspire audiences everywhere by humbly using the musical gift God has loaned to them with the purpose of giving back to their Creator a sacrifice of praise.

FRASER VALLEY STRUMMERS

Inspired by Nelie Cristal who has the passion in music and strings, visited Fraser Valley Church and introduced this small instrument called “Ukulele”. The group of Ladies in Fraser Valley Church were persuaded to strum and since then kindled their interests and loved their ukulele group now known as ” The Fraser Valley Church Ladies Strummers”.

For four years, each member was bonded with dedication to the group, shared laughters and memorable moments together with the leadership of Felma Malicay. The enthusiam to sing and play our ukulele gave us so much joy in performing in various religious occasions not only in British Columbia but also in Alberta and Washington USA. With God’s given talent, the group stand even more stronger in praising and glorifying God thru music.

Ryan McAllister

My career in music began years ago when I started playing music with my older brothers in our church worship band. When I graduated high school, I started a band of my own, Dakona. We began to get some attention from record labels and ended up signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Madonna’s Maverick Records. We toured North America extensively, performing along side dozens of well known artists ranging from Sam Roberts to Willie Nelson, and playing at venues from The Grand Ole Opry to the Bowery Ballroom. After a massive reshuffling at Maverick, we lost our record deal and returned home after nearly two years on the road. I started recording indie bands at Five Acres, my professional recording studio in the barn outside my home in a sleepy corner of the Fraser Valley in BC. I’ve taught myself the art of recording and producing, and have written a whole lot of music along the way.

I grew up listening to Christian folk music. Larry Norman, Mark Heard & Randy Stonehill were on constant rotation on our record player. Their lyrics affected me a lot growing up. There was something very authentic in the way they merged their faith with their art that I have always been drawn to. There is something remarkably fhttp://www.bcadventist.com/index.php/office/communication/give-love-an-adra-canada-christmas-concertreeing in abandoning subtlety and making an all out, foot stomping, folk/gospel record. Artistically, it is by far the most challenging and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. The scriptures are so rich with beautiful stories and imagery. Even the greatest non-believing artists in history have borrowed from its pages. To be able to put a handful of these stories to song is an honour.

I’ve spent the first half of 2014 writing, producing and recording The Way Home, my gospel EP, and the response to it has been humbling and encouraging. I’ve joined The City Harmonic on their Western Canadian tour, toured the Maritimes with Brian Doerksen, opened for Tim Neufeld, and lead worship at dozens of churches in BC and Alberta. I’ll be playing some Alberta shows with Michael W. Smith in August and am currently booking a Western Canadian tour for the fall.